Saturday, 27 December 2014

As I recall my college years, I realized that some people would do almost anything to get rid of their flaws. I'm not saying about bad grades, although that wouldn't be such a bad thing -- But imperfections such as their looks, their voices, or their 'less-than-impressive splurge on luxurious materials'.

Things are not always going to fall in their right places. Monica Geller was right you know; the real world sucks.

But that shouldn't stop us. There will always be a crack in everything, and that is when the light shines in. Sometimes, being imperfect is just the perfection that we are seeking subconsciously.

If you take a look at a chef’s hands, you might see scald scars, crooked nails and perhaps huge knuckles.

If you look closely at an old man’s coat, you might see the faded tone, or trails of lint.

If you compare a ballerina’s feet to yours, you might see their unaligned and bone-y toes.

If you step into a vintage store, you might notice untreated windows or rusty key holes.

Those are just few examples I have on top of my head. And all that to me, is perfecto.

So why try so hard to strive for perfection, when you are already doing so great? You have to give yourself credit sometimes. Go on, I pinky swear not to judge you.

--

Apart from that, I'm very excited to host the first giveaway in my entire life! Since this is my first time, entries are open to all readers currently residing in Penang Island only. As for the rest, don’t worry because I'm sure you will have your chances in the future!

Kinfolk magazine is neither to be heard nor seen anywhere near where I live. So, I'm super happy to give away 2 brand new copies of Kinfolk Magazine - Volume Thirteen.

If you have not heard of them, they are a leading independent lifestyle magazine for creative professionals all over the world. I subscribed to their printed and online pass on my birthday, which is possibly one of the best things I’ve gotten myself so far.

All you have to do is tell me one of your imperfections and how do you embrace it! Send your entry along with your name to cindy-leow@hotmail.com

Saturday, 6 December 2014

Impress your guests with this easy and delectable recipe!

You can prepare this few days ahead and they still taste as good as the fresh ones. Just make sure you can resist getting your hands on it.

Initially, I was planning to use dark chocolate in this recipe. But turns out I only have Russell Stover's truffles, hidden in a tragic corner of the fridge. Hence, my pudding turns out velvety and has stronger milk flavour.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

25g semi-sweet chocolate bar or chips

4 tsp cornstarch

3 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

A pinch of fine salt

Directions

Mix 1 1/2 cups of milk, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, whisk all the remaining ingredients well in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot chocolate milk into the mixture.

Return to saucepan and continue whisking over medium-high heat. Cook until the pudding for about 5 minutes until it comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat and continue whisking about 3 minutes more. The pudding should thicken by then.

Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the pudding over a bowl. This will get rid of any cocoa clumps and the end result you get is velvety-smooth pudding.

Pour the pudding into small cups and cover with plastic wrap. And now the hard part, wait for the pudding to set. You can refrigerate them for at least 3 hours or overnight.

You can serve the pudding just the way it is, or be creative! Top with some whipped cream, tame this little devil with sliced bananas, or drizzle some melted chocolate if you believe in heaven.